Cuff link



y 9, 1963 J. J. VASTANO 3,

CUFF LINK Filed May 17, 1965 FIG.4

INVENTOR JOSEPH J. VASTANO EQMMIBMTI ATTORNEY United States Patent3,391,433 CUFF LINK. Joseph J. Vastano, 39 Merry Mount Drive, Warwick,RI. 02888 Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No. 456,191 3 Claims. (Cl. 2497) Thisinvention relates generally to jewelry devices and in particular to anew and improved form of culf link.

Heretofore in the jewelry industry the pivotable type of cuff links havebeen constructed in such a manner that the yoke extending from theornamental face has a springloaded pivot member extending through holesformed in each yoke and the bar maintained in position by heading overor rivetting. Various disadvantages have been encountered with this typeof a cuff link due mainly to the delicateness and fineness of thematerials involved. One disadvantage is that the rivet head pullsthrough the aperture and the device becomes inoperative. Attempts havebeen made to develop a solid yoke and pivot bar formed by a stampingprocess which have themselves defeated the end result in not being ableto be gold filled. Furthermore, after repeated rotation of the pivotablemember the pivot bar has a tendency to wear away the side edges of thepivotable member resulting in a fatigue or failure of the metal.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved cufflink in which the pivot bar is integral with the yoke members.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved cuff linkwhere the pivotable member is maintained in position and locked betweenthe side members of the yoke.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cufflink which may be formed of drawn stock and in which the pivotablemember is spring biased away from the pivot member.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

Broadly stated the feature of this invention is to provide a new andimproved cuff link wherein the pivot bar member is formed integral withthe side yoke members. By having flange members on the pivot bar memberthe pivotable shell containing spring members may be maintained inposition therein in such a manner that the side walls of the yoke arenever under the tendency to be drawn apart.

To the accomplishment of this and the foregoing related ends, thepresent invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully describedand particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and thefollowing description setting forth in detail certain means in thecarrying out of the invention, such disclosed means illustrating howeverbut one of the various ways in which the principle in the invention maybe employed.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the improved cuff link.

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation partly in section of the improvedcuff link.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the component parts of the improved cufflink.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the yoke and pivot member of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIG. 1 an improved cuff link10. The cuff link 10, consists of a yoke member, 12, having side arms 14and 16, a bottom member 18 and a pivot bar 20. The pivot bar 20, isintegral with the side arms 14 and 16 and extends normal thereto and asshown in FIG. 4 substantially parallel to the bottom member 18. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, the pivot bar 20 consists of an arm 22, extendingat right angles to the side 14 and adjacent the upper end 24 thereof. Ina similar manner an arm 26 extends from the side wall 16, adjacent3,391,433 Patented July 9, 1968 the upper surface 28 and in thedirection of the opposite side wall 14. Each of the arms 22 and 26terminates so that their ends 30 and 32 lie spaced from each other andseparated by a gap 34. Flange members 36 and 38 are formed on each ofthe arms 22 and 26 facing outwardly in the direction of the yoke arms 14and 16 for a purpose to be set fortlr' more fully hereinafter.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 a pivotable member 40 is adapted to bepositioned and rotated around the pivot bar 20 so as to permit the cufflink to be inserted through the shirt cuff (not shown). The pivotablemember 40, comprises a shell 42 having downwardly depending side members44 and 46 with slots 48 and 50 extending upwardly from their free edges52 and 54 to a point spaced from their upper edges 56 and 58. An innerspring member 60 and an outer spring member 62 which also serves as aclosure, sandwich the pivot bar 20 there between and the ends 64 and 66of the shell 42 are deformed around the outer spring member 62 to retainthe pivotable member 40 in assembly with the pivot bar 20.

In operation it will readily be seen by anyone skilled in the art thatthe shell 42 is positioned with the slots 48 and 50 and has the innerspring 60 extending longitudinally between the ends 64 and 66 over thearms 22 and 26 so that the inner surfaces 68 and 70 of the side members44 and 46 bear against the flange members 36 and 38 locking the pivotmember in position. In this manner, any transverse movement of thepivotable member in the direction of either of the side arms 14 and 16of the yoke will be compensated. Furthermore, if desired the relativelocation of the inner spring 60 when utilized in relation to the outerspring 62 in sandwiching the pivot bar 20 therebetween prevents thepivot bar from wearing on the edges of the slots 48 and 50 of the shellensuring long lived use of the device.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered tobe preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that modifications and changes may be made withouteparting from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to beunderstood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and notrestrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in theappended claims and that all modifications that come within the meaningand range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be includedherein.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved cuff link comprising a yoke having an integral bifurcatedpivot bar extending transversely across an open end, said pivot barhaving a pair of flanges with each of said flanges facing away from eachother presenting outwardly and inwardly extending face portions, aspring loaded rotatable shell in co-operative engagement with said pivotbar, said shell having laterally spaced side edges in abutting relationwith each of the outwardly extending face portions of said flangeswhereby said rotatable shell is freely rotatable on the pivot bar andmaintains said arms in fixed spaced relationship.

2. An improved cuff link comprising:

(A) a yoke having a bottom with (B) sidearms extending substantiallynormal thereto,

(C) a pair of pivot arms extending inwardly from each of said side armsintegral therewith with their free ends spaced from each other,

(D) outwardly extending flange members disposed on each of said pivotarms at a point spaced from each of said side arms,

(E) said flange members having face portions substantially parallel tothe side arms,

(F) a pivotable member positioned on said pivot arms having spring meansin co-operative engagement therewith,

(G) downwardly depending side edges of said pivotable member in slidingengagement with the face portions of said flange members,

*(H) the side edges of said pivotable member co-acting with said flangemembers to lock said pivot arms in fixed spaced relationship.

3. In a cult link, a yoke having a bottom with sidearms extendingsubstantially normal thereto, a pair of pivot arms extending inwardlyfrom each of said side arms with their free ends spaced from each other,outwardly 10 extending flange members disposed on each of said pivotarms at a point spaced from each of said side arms, said flange membershaving face portions substantially parallel to the side arms, apivotable member positioned on said pivot arms having spring means incooperative engagement therewith, downwardly depending side edges ofsaid pivotable member in sliding engagement with the face portions ofsaid flange members, the side edges of said pivotable member coactingwith said flange members to lock said pivot arms in fixed spacedrelationship.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,464 5/ 1 884 Corell 2497960,698 6/1910 Ponarouse 2497 2,798,272 7/1957 Boots 2497 2,920,3631/1960 Aredon 2497 FOREIGN PATENTS 470,819 6/1914 France.

580,847 9/1924 France. 1,146,352 5/1957 France.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM F ELDMAN Examiner.

3. IN A CUFF LINK, A YOKE HAVING A BOTTOM WITH SIDEARMS EXTENDINGSUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL THERETO, A PAIR OF PIVOT ARMS EXTENDING INWARDLYFROM EACH OF SAID SIDE ARMS WITH THEIR FREE ENDS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER,OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE MEMBERS DISPOSED ON EACH OF SAID PIVOT ARMSAT A POINT SPACED FROM EACH OF SAID SIDE ARMS, SAID FLANGE MEMBERSHAVING FACE PORTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SIDE ARMS, APIVOTABLE MEMBER POSITIONED ON SAID PIVOT ARMS HAVING SPRING MEANS INCOOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING SIDE EDGES OFSAID PIVOTABLE MEMBER IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FACE PORTIONS OFSAID FLANGE MEMBERS, THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID PIVOTABLE MEMBER COACTINGWITH SAID FLANGE MEMBERS TO LOCK SAID PIVOT ARMS IN FIXED SPACEDRELATIONSHIP.